By now we know that even the most secure-looking locks can be easily compromised. So we should all just leave our doors open and hope for the best, right? Maybe not, because a simple design change promises to make it impossible for someone to pick tumbler locks.
The innovation that makes the Bowley Lock so secure, its creators claim, is a design approach that existed decades ago, before metal keys could be easily reproduced. Inside the Bowley is a spinning cylindrical shield that completely cuts off access to the tumblers while the key is removed. So trying to use traditional lock picking tools to rake the tumblers and open the lock without the right key just won’t work.
The creators of the Bowley Lock have turned to Kickstarter to help raise the $US500,000 needed to finalise its design and put it into production, but with just two weeks left in their campaign they have got quite a bit of funding still to raise.
Because the lock still relies on tumblers which are commonly used and available en masse, the Bowley Lock isn’t terribly expensive. A $US139 ($190) donation to the lock’s Kickstarter campaign pre-orders you a complete deadbolt including four sets of pre-cut keys (don’t lose them!). Delivery date is expected to be sometime in July of next year.
It would be ludicrous to claim that no one will ever find a way to pick the Bowely Lock, but if someone were to attempt to enter your home using a set of traditional lock picking tools, it would help thwart their plans. As long as your home is the only one in the neighbourhood with Bowley locks installed, it would be easier for a potential intruder to just move onto the next one. So go ahead and order a set of the locks for yourself — but don’t tell your friends about them.
[Bowley Lock Company via Gizmag]